


Yoga Class in a Nutshell

by starryrosez



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Yoga, M/M, shiro is a pow and lance is just a guy who needs a break after dealing with 6 year olds, the yoga instructor is based off of my yoga instructor what a man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 07:32:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18116189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryrosez/pseuds/starryrosez
Summary: An ex-prisoner of war Shiro takes a yoga class in which he meets Lance, a camp leader at the army base who gives him the 411 on their eccentric herbal-tea obsessed musician yoga instructor.





	Yoga Class in a Nutshell

**Author's Note:**

> This was my piece for this week's prompt on the Shance Games server: herbs and music. Enjoy!

After being discharged from being a prisoner of war, Shiro struggled with getting used to being back. The war had done a number on him and his time at the prison was filled with nothing but torture every waking hour. It has been almost 2 years and he still has vivid nightmares from his time at the prison camp. His therapist had tried everything to help him, but they weren’t much help in the grand scheme of things. Everything only offered temporary resolutions. Medications kept him high for a while before the pain from the war came back in full force. Talking about it only provide him the relief of sharing his emotions for a good while before the faucet closed back up and Shiro was nothing but a traumatized veteran. His therapist was getting desperate, he knew it, and he too wanted to get some relief from his pain, so whatever his therapist recommended him, he’ll try.

 

“I know, we’ve already tried this numerous times and it didn’t work,” his therapist said, pulling out a card from her binder, “But this time, I think he can help you.”

 

Shiro took the card and looked down at the name on it. 

 

“Another yoga instructor?” Shiro asked, “But--

 

“I know,” she said, “But this guy is special. He specializes in helping veterans, like you are recovering from war.”

 

“I don’t know,” Shiro replied, “I don’t think yoga is for me. I can’t even do the poses without falling over.”

 

“Just give him a try. One last time. For me,” she begged, tucking a white strand of her hair behind her ear, “The first class is on me.”

 

“Okay,” Shiro replied, “Thank you Allura, I’ll give him a try.”

 

\--

The gym where the classes were held, was in the army base he used to live in. In the 4 years he has been there, he didn’t know there was a separate room for yoga. As soon as he stepped into the room, he already felt what was different about all the other yoga classes he’s been to.

 

To start off, the room was mostly male while his other classes were mostly female. The second thing was that they all were like him, soldiers who were looking for a peace of mind. It was nice to have this kind of group as opposed to the mid-twenty to thirties white suburban woman who was following a trend and was more worried about maintaining her figure after childbirth over anything. These guys were after the same thing as him. 

 

Shiro took a yoga mat and rolled it on the floor towards the back corner of the room. Next to him, was the only guy that didn’t look like a soldier. He was young, probably 3 years younger than Shiro and still had sparkling eyes that had yet to be dulled by war. He talked carelessly and was energetic unlike the others in the room. Truly, just from his personality, he stood out, but his looks weren’t something to look over. He had a good build, and a handsome face, just by looking at his features he had to be of Hispanic descent. He had brown hair and blue eyes that reminded Shiro of the sea. Shiro had seen his fair share of attractive men, but this man surely took the cake. 

 

“Hi,” the guy didn’t hesitate to introduce himself to Shiro, “I’m Lance Menendez.”

 

“Takashi Shirogane,” Shiro replied, “Everybody calls me Shiro.”

 

“Okay Shiro, I haven’t seen you around have you been recently recommended to Coran?”

 

“Yes,” Shiro replied.

 

“He’s great, you’ll love him. I work here as one of the camp leaders. Believe me, working for 9 weeks over the summer hurdling 1st graders requires yoga after.” 

 

“I’m here…. like the rest of them,” Shiro indicated the room.

 

“Yeah,” Lance smiled, “I’m kind of the oddball here right? But yoga is for everybody, you’ll get used to it after a few classes, oh, you might also be put onto his diet because you’re a soldier.”

 

“There’s a diet…?”

 

“Yeah and he assigns homework too,” Lance said, “But it’s nothing bad. He just gives you an audio track and makes you listen to it. He composed it himself actually.” Lance leaned over to Shiro and whispered, “I looked him up and he apparently won two Grammys from his music.”

 

“Is the music good?” Shiro asked, “Cause music can bring...memories for me that I don’t want to bring up.”

 

“Ehh, I wouldn’t say it’s good,” Lance answered taking off his shoes, “I mean, it’s not something you’d hear on the radio. It’s more of like a relaxing sound. Do you have trouble sleeping?”

 

“I don’t think I’ve slept in 10 years,” Shiro answered.

 

“This music definitely helps. When I first started it, I had to play the track a few times. Now I pass out within 5 minutes if I’m laying down while listening,” Lance said, “Especially after some good tea.”

 

“That’s good, and about the diet. Have you tried it?”

 

Lance laughed, “Hell no, I got into an argument with him my first class over Taco Bell.”

 

Shiro couldn’t help but join in on Lance’s laughter. He had that type of laugh that was contagious and was so friendly it filled you with warmth. If Lance wasn’t already so alluring, his laugh certainly would’ve drawn Shiro to him. 

 

Lance stopped laughing and rolled out his mat, “I’m not joking, I told him I use Taco Bell as an excuse to exercise and I think he was ready to shoot me. But in all seriousness, his diet consists of teas from herbs and stuff. Some of it tastes pretty good while others… not so much. I can tell you which ones are good or not. For example, there’s this orange one that produces this dark orange tea... Supposedly it’s the chicken soup of all teas but it tastes nasty.” 

 

“Thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely have to ask you which ones to use.”

 

Lance winked, taking off his shoes and socks, “But seriously, there’s nothing better than the last ten minutes when you get to lay down on the mat and close your eyes as Coran plays a relaxing song and you take a nice nap.” Lance admitted as he laid down at the mat, sighing happily, “It’s the best thing after working with kids for five hours.” 

 

Shiro sat down on his mat and stretched out his legs, “That’s good to hear, I’m always up for a nap.”

 

Lance chuckled, “Yeah, and hey some of the herbal teas are a bit of a pain to make. If you want you can come over to my place sometime and I can show you how to properly make them. Or something like that.”

 

Shiro smiled, “Are you asking me out on a date?”

 

Lance grinned mischievously, “Your words not mine.”

 

“Okay,” Shiro replied sliding his phone over to Lance, “When should we meet?”

 

“Are you free this Thursday night?” Lance answered as he typed in his number. 

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Is 7 good?” Lance asked handing Shiro back his phone.

 

Shiro glanced down at the number and smiled. Perhaps this yoga class would do him some good, “I’ll be there.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/starryrosez) and let's be friends!  
> Thanks for reading! Comments are always appreciated! <3


End file.
